This morning Mrs Mary Fenech Adami’s funeral took place in Birkirkara, with large crowds participating along the way in a cortège from Valley Road to St Helen Basilica. Police outriders escorted the hearse from Mater Dei Hospital Birkirkara, where the cortège started near the PN club in Valley Road. People started applauding as the cortège stopped in front of the PN club and as it reached the Fenech Adami famly residence, some even throwing flowers.
President Emeritus Dr Eddie Fenech Adami and his five children followed the coffin. Behind the family were Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi, government ministers and members of parliament from both sides of politics. The Birkirkara bands also accompanied the cortège.
The President of Malta, Dr George Abela, led the congregation at the basilica which also included Archbishop Monsignor Paul Cremona, Gozo Bishop Monsignor Mario Grech, and members of the judiciary and the diplomatic corps. Dr Fenech Adami delivered the first reading, his daughter, Maria, the second, and his grandchildren led the prayers of the faithful.
Archpriest Anton Cassar paid tribute to Mrs Fenech Adami for her exemplary public and spiritual life. He said she had been a model to the nation and did a lot of good work away from the media and public knowledge.
Tenor Joseph Calleja sang at the end of the Mass, after having paid tribute to Mrs Fenech Adami at his concert on Saturday.
The burial took place at Lija cemetery.
Reported on Saturday 09 Jul 2011
Mrs Fenech Adami passes away
Malta’s former first lady, Mrs Mary Fenech Adami, died yesterday afternoon at 3 p.m (Malta time), aged 77, and her funeral will be held on Monday at 10.m. at St Helen’s Basilica in Birkirkara.
Mrs Fenech Adami was widely acknowledge for being a very devout Catholic and a person who gave a lot of her time to caring for others even during the hard times that she and her husband endured during his long political career. She was a pillar of strength for her family in very difficult times. She leaves to mourn her loss President Emeritus Dr Eddie Fenech Adami and her five children: John, Beppe, Luigi, Maria and Michael.
The President of Malta, Dr George Abela, and his wife, Mrs Margaret Abela, expressed their condolences at Mrs Fenech Adami’s death. Dr George Abela spoke about Mrs Fenech Adami’s value of love which she spread to the people of Malta and Gozo. He expressed his condolences personally and on behalf of the people to President Emeritus Dr Fenech Adami in a phone call.
Mrs Abela said that she knew Mrs Fenech Adami as an affable, humane woman who loved the family, was humble and accepted everyone with a great love. Mrs Abela said that at an official level Mrs Fenech Adami applied her beautiful values to help people in need. “She was a refuge to people who needed her assistance and will just be remembered, but also loved, as a First Lady,” said Mrs Abela.
Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi also telephoned Dr Fenech Adami to express his condolences following Mrs Fenech Adami’s death. He said that Mrs Fenech Adami was a mother with strong moral values who had quietly worked for those who needed her help. He said the Maltese people were united in expressing their grief to Dr Fenech Adami and his family.
Labour leader Dr Joseph Muscat and his wife, Mrs Michelle Muscat, said in a statement they were saddened with the news of Mrs Fenech Adami’s passing away. They said that they had the opportunity to meet Mrs Fenech Adami many times in the past three years and during these occasions they admired her human qualities and she was an inspiration to them. They offered their condolences to President Emeritus Dr Fenech Adami, his children and family personally and on behalf of the Labour Party.
In a tribute to Mrs Fenech Adami published on its website, the Nationalist Party said the general consensus is that Mrs Fenech Adami had a strong and determined character and she brought up a family of five children with all the challenges this brought along, including a very difficult moment when she lost a two-day old baby. She was also a tower of strength and support to her husband Dr Eddie Fenech Adami as Leader of the Opposition in tough times, when she and her family were attacked in their home, and as Prime Minister and later President of Malta.
According to the tribute, Mrs Fenech Adami had a strong sense of solidarity with others, solid values and a great understanding for the vulnerable. When she was responsible for the Community Chest Fund, she went out of her way to help those in greatest need and as a result of her work, hundeds of families vouch for her goodness. Her death left a void not only for her family but also for the country.
The tribute concludes that “the beautiful qualities of Mrs Fenech Adami will continue to live with us forever, not only in the thoughts of each and everyone of us, but above all in the goodness that he left behind through her work.”
Alternattiva Demokratika also expressed their condolences.
Professor Maurice Cauchi, President of the Maltese Community Council of Victoria (MCCV), extends his sincere condolences personally and on behalf of the MCCV to President Emeritus Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, his five children and their families.
______________________________
Reported on Tuesday 05 Jul 2011
Mrs Fenech Adami in a very critical condition
Mrs Mary Fenech Adami collapsed after suffering a heart attack at the wedding reception of the Prime Minister’s son at Girgenti Palace in Siggiewi last Saturday. The Prime Minister’s brother, Dr Michael Gonzi, who is a general practitioner, applied cardiopulmonary resuscitation while heart surgeon Alex Manché was also present.
Mrs Fenech Adami was taken by ambulance to Mater Dei Hospital, accompanied by her husband, former President and Prime Minister, Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, and Dr Gonzi.
Mrs Fenech Adami’s family has requested people to keep praying for the former first lady who remains in intensive care in a ‘very critical condition’.
“We are aware of the sympathy, support and prayers that people around the island are showing towards our mother,” said Beppe Fenech Adami, one of her five children. “Our appeal is that people keep praying for her. She is still very critical but, so long as she is alive, there is hope,” the Nationalist MP said.
Mrs Fenech Adami has been receiving treatment for cancer after being diagnosed with the condition a year ago.
